Sakdiyah Ma'ruf, the Muslim comic challenging Islamic extremism

When Indonesian comedian Sakdiyah Ma'ruf was a university student she spent most of her time lying to her father about where she was.

Indonesian stand-up comedian Sakdiyah Ma'ruf will be the star speaker at the Sesquicentennial Inaugural Chaser Lecture and Dinner.

"He called me every night," she says. "And every night, at 6pm sharp, I waited for his call to tell him I'm all good, I'm here with my friends and about to have dinner and then going to my room to study.

"And that's not what's happening, of course. That's what college is all about. Violating curfew and jumping over the fence."

Ma'ruf, who is of Hadrami-Arabic descent and was born in Pekalongan, Central Java, was studying – she graduated with a masters in 2015 – but she was also out at activist meetings, going on dates and, importantly, nurturing her great love: stand-up comedy.

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Since 2009, when she used stand-up as the subject of her thesis at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, she has been making waves as a female Muslim stand­-up.

"I don't feel brave at all," she says. "I want to be a comedian. Simple as that."

In June she appeared as part of BBC Radio 4's Welcome To Wherever You Are, a global stand-up jam featuring comics performing from wherever they were via the web to a live audience the BBC Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House, London.

"This was an amazing thing because, at last, I am seen as truly a comedian." she says.

Her parents, she said on receiving the Václav Havel Prize, would be very proud of her for the award but also for standing a safe distance from the opposite sex while on stage.

"I come from a very conservative family," she says. "They are fine with my comedy. But it's essentially silent disagreement."

Ma'ruf, who is 34 and taught herself to speak English by watching TV shows, is building a fan base performing at live comedy gigs and conferences.

"I worship Louis C.K." she says. "He speaks to my heart because he can go down to the very core of human nature, of humanity, the deepest, darkest flaws of humanity.

"Great comedy makes you cry and makes you understand who you are as a human."

Stand-up comedy is an emerging art in Indonesia.

"It began to gain momentum in about 2011 and now the scene is very vibrant and dynamic," she says. "In Jakarta there are about two or three official comedy clubs but there are many cafes that have live mic nights."

In April, just after her university graduation ceremony, she told her father she was going to focus on comedy full-time.

"For a woman to speak loudly to her parents here she first has to present them with a PhD, or an MD, at least," she says. "And get married. Because, ironically, that is the ticket to my freedom. That's when you are considered trustworthy.

"Having a family means you can become part of society as a whole as well as yourself. When you're single you don't get a chance to become a full member of society."

On Saturday Ma'ruf married a man she loves – "This means my parents don't call me any more. Yay to that!" – a fellow activist she met at university, who is from outside her community.

"Another victory," she says.

"Because girls in my community, their lives have been decided for them the moment that they are born."

At the Chaser lecture she will talk about how Islamic fundamentalists and the West perceive Muslim women, along with her personal experience.

"I'm hoping to offend everyone I guess," she says. "And to offend myself, that's first and foremost.

"I've haven't checked with the Chaser about all this yet.

"I've been too busy with my wedding, AKA having dinner with hundreds of people so I could have sex."